PSE&G Contracts with Petra Solar for 200,000 Systems

Aug 05, 2009

Petra Solar, Inc. will be producing 200,000 smart solar systems for installation on PSE&G utility poles and street light poles in the largest pole-attached solar installation in the world, following the N.J. Board of Public Utilities approval of a new PSE&G program.

The solar company also will be creating more than 100 green jobs in installation, research and development, operations and manufacturing of the pole-mounted, grid-connected solar photovoltaic (PV) system.

In a contract of about $200 million with PSE&G, the company will make units for poles in New Jersey's six largest cities and 300 rural and suburban communities. Over the 3 1/2 year life of the contract, Petra will add the green jobs to its employee base of 40-plus employees, who will work in the company's South Plainfield headquarters and manufacturing facility.

Shihab Kuran, president and chief executive officer of Petra Solar, said, "This contract is transformational for us. We are tripling in size and will start hiring immediately."
Petra's SunWave system combines highly distributed, grid connected photovoltaic generation and smart grid communications capabilities. In addition it provides enhancement of electric distribution grid reliability through a host of functions such as voltage support.